[ml1201]

Seeing he's at a disadvantage, the other ninja leaves, disappearing into the night. Once she knows Hiro's gone for sure Yusa falls down onto her knees, her head tilted forward and her hair veiling her face. The blood tipped kunai still in her hand when the merchant begins demanding the door be opened. She just sits there, tears dripping to the floor as the stream down her face.

"What are you two doing in there?! You better not be trying to burn down my shop!"

[CycloneKira]

Akira eyes the man as he leaves and then turns his head to look at Yusa. Immediately, he feels sad for her. Unsure whether he should try to comfort her or not, he stands there for a moment, before hearing the merchant at the door. He looks at Yusa and urges her to wipe her tears as he goes to open the door. He's glad that the smoke from the bomb has cleared up.

"I'm extremely sorry, sir," he says trying to pacify the man. He mouths some excuses and apologies and, finally, shuts the door after having satisfied the man. He goes to Yusa. "Are you feeling all right?" he asks. He needs to get her to go to sleep soon, or it could be far too late.

[ml1201]

Disgruntled, the merchant leaves, mumbling under his breath about not letting people stay in his home anymore.

Yusa doesn't say anything, but instead cries even hard, soft sobs coming from her. She's never really cried much growing up, anytime she did her father would punish her, saying showing your emotions would give away a ninja's attack. But right now she couldn't keep it in anymore, she just wanted to throw needles at something until it became a pin cushion. She didn't know how to control her emotions anymore, and it scares her to no end. Her knuckles are ghost white from the grip her fingers have on the kunai.

[CycloneKira]

Akira sighs as Yusa continues to cry, her hair a dark curtain falling across her face. He walks up to her and hands her a small cloth, for her to use, when he notices that her hands are clutching the kunai far too tightly.

"Let me get those," he says and smiles at her tentatively, hoping she cheers up. He gently opens her fingers, takes the kunai and places them on the floor, away from her. He sighs. "He is not worthy of your tears, Yusa," he says. "That man is a callous, heartless person who tried to hurt you, and when he failed, he went for your mind instead. It was a shameless move, used only by the most desperate of failures. You cannot allow it to hurt you so." He took her hand.

"Even if what he said was true, how does it matter? You have chosen to start a new life, have you not? If the people around you cannot respect your decision, then they are not fit to be called family, and are therefore, not worthy of receiving anything from you, even tears." He lifted her face to look at him and smiled.

He had thought about all of this before he told his father about wishing to leave. At the time, he had been sure that his father would not allow him to leave, and that he would have to leave without his consent. It came as a pleasant surprise when his father allowed him to leave.

[ml1201]

"I had hoped that my father might actually have some love for me like he did my sisters, but everything that's happened has confirmed that is not so. I never wanted to be considered a weapon by anyone, but it seems it cannot be helped..." The activities of the day and the poison she had been hit with finally catches up with her as she collapses into Akira's arms. Her flutter shut as she tries to fight off the exhaustion and fails. Soon she's sound asleep, her body shaking from time to time.

[CycloneKira]

Akira listens to Yusa's story, once again feeling a little sorry for her. As she begins to collapse, Akira catches her. Gently, he lays her down on the bed and pulls the sheet over her. The events of the day seem to have exhausted her.

After making sure she is properly tucked in, he picks up his sword and follows the ninja, who hasn't gone far because of his injuries. Moving swiftly and silently, he finally reaches Yusa's village. He ignores the curious looks from the villagers as he follows the other man.

[ml1201]

While she slumbers Yusa tosses and turns a bit, shaking the while time. After a bit she curls up into a tight ball, as if trying to protect herself as she sleeps restlessly.

As Akira enters the village a ninja runs off to inform the elders and the clean head about his arrival. The ninjas in the village watch him nervously has he goes about in the village, soon being stopped by an elder of the village.

"What do you want rogue? State your business!" She takes her staff and slams the butt of it on the ground, much like a ruler would.

[CycloneKira]

Akira walks along, paying no heed to the other ninjas around him. He notices one of them running off, presumably to inform the elders of the village that he has arrived. His presumptions are confirmed when he sees an old woman holding a stick hobbling towards him. He stops in surprise at the fierceness in her voice, feeling that it is rather uncharacteristic for an old woman. He gets a little annoyed at being called a rogue but replies calmly.

"I am Akira Koga, formerly of the Koga clan," he introduces himself and bows to the old lady. "I wish to speak with the head of the Yukiyama clan."

[ml1201]

"A Koga? Here? You must have been that one Yusa was sent originally to kill before we found out about you." The elder seems to relax, as if hearing who he was put her at ease. "You are most assuredly not a rogue because if a Koga wanted to try and take over this village I wouldn't be standing here now." She motions for him to follow her as she hobbles in the direction of the head of the clan's home.

"I'm hoping that maybe you can knock some sense into that man, he's as stubborn as a mule and a disgrace to the spirit of his wife. My niece died giving birth to Yusa's youngest sister, only about a year between each one. That was when her farther decided to raise her to take over the clan and be the strongest ninja here. But alas you can see what it has done, though I think your presence here has actually prevented things from becoming worse. Yusa might have gone rogue if you hadn't of met her."

[CycloneKira]

Akira smiles at the elderly woman as she seems to realize that he is not a threat. He listens as she talks about Yusa's parents. Knocking some sense into the old man isn't exactly what he is here to do, but it is close enough. He follows her silently as she leads him to the head's home.

Finally, they reach the house. Akira looks at it before turning his head to face the lady. "Thank you for leading me here," he says, bowing low. Then he turns to the house and walks in.

[ml1201]

As he enters the home she mumbles, "I should thank you for looking after my great niece..." She hobbles away back to her own home.

Inside the home he can see a man in his late forties to early fifties flanked by two skilled looking male ninjas. The older man glares at Akira as he enters, his arms crossed as he addresses him, "What do you want wandering Koga?"

[CycloneKira]

Inside the house, Akira is greeted by an old man and two other ninjas, all of them glaring at him. Assuming that the older man is Yusa's father He begins to speak.

"I came to talk to you about the ninjas you keep sending to take your daughter back," he says, noticing the younger ninjas clench their fists at the mention of Yusa. He recognizes them as being two of the ones that Yusa sent back half paralyzed in the morning. "Please refrain from sending any more," he continues. "Yusa has made her decision and it would be a hindrance to me if you sent any more." He was prepared to argue or even fight these people, if it came to that. He didn't want any more trouble, but mostly, he didn't want to see Yusa's tearful face again.

[ml1201]

"And why should I listen to you? You might be a Koga, but if the entire village were to attack you we could easily defeat you. And what do you care about my daughter anyways? You just met her a day ago, you have no connection to her at all. All her training would go to waste if she were to just leave. Not to mention she was raised to become the next head of the village, which actually goes against our traditions. It's her place to be here and take over after me, not wandering around with some strange man we know almost nothing about." The man never takes his eyes off of Akira, steadfast in what he believes.

[CycloneKira]

Akira loses his cool and his expression turns cold as he talks to Yusa's father. "If your entire village were to attack me, you would kill me, but you would also lose a majority of your people as well as all of your honor," he says mercilessly. "Nobody ever sends in an army to fight one person. As for your daughter, I care about her because she has chosen to travel with me and that gives me the responsibility of taking care of her. So far, I seen to be doing a better job of that than you ever did." He adds the last bit, referring to the heartlessness of her father.

"And it is true that you raised her so that she could take over as head of the clan after you," he continues, narrowing his eyes a little at the old man. "But what she does after that is up to her, because it is her life, not yours. It is not for you to decide where her place is." He sighs and calms down a little.

"She is your daughter," he says, choosing his words carefully. "As a father, don't you care about what she might want for her life?" He asks, hoping the old man will see things from Yusa's point of view.

[ml1201]

"Nor is it honorable for a man to travel with ones daughter without first introducing themselves before doing so. Besides, my clan is not big enough to be considered an army, and there have been times in the past when sending an entire clan after a target was required, but enough about that." He doesn't seem all too bothered by Akira challenging his honor since what one find honorable differs from person to person. "Yusa was never one to want much of anything except to make the clan proud, she's always told me that since she was a child. What would posses her to leave the clan she's always cherished I'll never know. All I know is that you had something to do with it."

"As for her place, it has always been here until yesterday when she's voiced anything other than that for the first time ever. And she didn't even think it over, she just left after being sent to kill you originally. And I do care about what she wants, just why would it just suddenly change out of the blue? She's never made any indication of wanting any other life than the one she's always known."

A tapping sound, much like the one Akira heard before comes from somewhere outside but no one enters the home.

[CycloneKira]

Akira listens to what the old man has to say. He is a little surprised when the old man points a finger at him, holding him responsible for Yusa's departure. Akira isn't about to correct the other, however; he did give her the idea, indirectly.

"It is true that seeing me in the village elder's home gave her the idea of leaving," he says. "But that was all I did. I have reason to believe that Yusa has been harboring these emotions for a very long time. She herself told me that she has always been jealous of her sisters for the life that they are leading."

He paused and continues. "You say that she has never made any indication of wanting anything else. Don't you think it's possible that she might have covered up those feelings in front of you?" The tapping noise bothers Akira, but he focuses on the job at hand.